New Delhi, Dec 12 (LatestNewsX) – Delhi rolled out the day under a heavy blanket of smog, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring to 331 by 7 a.m., placing the city back into the “very poor” range according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Jahangirpuri topped the list of worst‑affected areas, reaching an alarming AQI of 405 and falling into the “severe” zone.
The dense smog and shallow fog cut visibility across the capital. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 395, while other hotspots included Vivek Vihar (393), Ashok Vihar (382), Bawana (373), NSIT Dwarka (388), Rohini (385), Wazirpur (397), Chandni Chowk (368), and DTU (371).
Even with a slight improvement in recent weeks, much of Delhi remained mired in toxic haze. Thick smog covered areas such as Ghazipur and Anand Vihar, making morning commutes difficult. Sonia Vihar logged an AQI of 346, Wazirpur touched 397, and Dhaula Kuan recorded 337.
Neighbouring cities were no better off. Noida’s Sector 116 barely crossed the 400 mark, with the city’s average AQI standing at 360. Greater Noida saw an AQI of 342. In Uttar Pradesh, Meerut averaged 374 across three monitoring stations, while Loni in Ghaziabad surged to a hazardous 427.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast partly cloudy skies with shallow to moderate fog on Friday morning. Delhi’s low temperatures are expected to remain between 7 and 9 °C, while daytime highs should hover around 23‑25 °C, consistent with seasonal norms.
Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta assured residents that the government is taking action on all fronts to curb pollution. She reiterated that the fight against pollution is progressing in “continuous mission mode” and that the installation of mist‑spraying systems on electric poles is underway to reduce particulate matter.
“Our fight against pollution in Delhi continues non‑stop in mission mode. Smoke, dust, vehicle emissions, open garbage burning and wood burning—these factors together create a layer of pollution in the air. The Delhi government is working on each element that contributes to pollution. In Delhi, work to install mist at electric poles is ongoing. To stop pollution, the government is active on every front,” CM Gupta said.
Delhi had just completed a three‑day streak of poor air quality, with Thursday’s AQI at 285, just below the “very poor” threshold of 301.
The CPCB categorises AQI levels as follows: 0‑50 “good”, 51‑100 “satisfactory”, 101‑200 “moderate”, 201‑300 “poor”, 301‑400 “very poor”, and 401‑500 “severe”.
The IMD added that minimum temperatures across northwest India, including Delhi and its surrounding NCR regions, are expected to remain steady for the next two days before rising by 2 to 4 °C over the following three days.
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